New Sunroom at Verb's House!

verb

The Mrs and I have been working on phase 2 of our forever home for some time now, planning and working with the architect while construction of the new garage was going on.

Since I got my garage man cave, now it's her turn. She gets an additional 500 sq ft room addition on the back of the house. Surrounded by nearly floor to ceiling windows. We're blowing out the back wall to open up the kitchen into a open concept kitchen/dining/living area.

New sunroom is in the center. New garage on the right.



Below is a pic from back in April. Framing construction has started. We had the foundation (5.5 ft crawlspace) poured last year as our concrete guy had an open window for work - another job he had scheduled was delayed.

Back of house de-bricked and siding removed, essentially everything you see tarped up will eventually be opened up to the rest of the house.



Fun stuff! Over 2 years of (start/stop) construction!

verb

More recent pics:

txcoastal1

F1nut wrote: »

This is not a home improvement forum.

I'm sure it will have speakers

verb

txcoastal1 wrote: »

F1nut wrote: »

This is not a home improvement forum.

I'm sure it will have speakers

Exactly! And this is the clubhouse too.

verb

Don't read em! Put me on ignore!

VR3

Looking good!

Clipdat

I like how you are upgrading and adding onto your house and making it more personal.

invalid

Hopefully you have a builder that gets it done a little quicker than the builder that built your garage addition.

verb

Thanks guys for your comments! This is truly a joy for the Mrs and I, getting our forever home to the point we have dreamed of for many years.

It's a lot of fun, but at times frustrating as heck. Although not as bad as the garage! I have to remind myself and the Mrs that this a long game, so we have to take the delays as they come and be patient.

Right now we're waiting for windows, currently a 4 week delay.

Clipdat

Will the crawlspace be used for additional storage when the project is finished?

verb

Clipdat wrote: »

Will the crawlspace be used for additional storage when the project is finished?

Yep! We pushed the limits on crawlspace depth, but yes storage for yard stuff, and I can fit my lawn tractor in there!

Outdoor furniture, Christmas decorations, all now have a home!

audioluvr

So no deep freezer with bodies in it. Got it.

verb

audioluvr wrote: »

So no deep freezer with bodies in it. Got it.

Lol not yet! Just trying to get everything organized. Got crap all over the house and can never find stuff when it's needed! The key to being a pack rat is organization!

Milito

I look forward to seeing what it looks like when it's finished.

audioluvr

You and I are one in the same. I ALWAYS have a project I'm working on. I'll stop when I'm dead.

Tony M

F1nut wrote: »

verb wrote: »

Exactly! And this is the clubhouse too.

And you're the only one posting your ego driven home improvement projects.

I hope you're being sarcastic.

There's been a handful of us posting home improvements in the Clubhouse section.

There's no ego puffing here from any of us.
Just very good men showing their home improvements to our "end game" homes.

I've posted tons of pictures on my own "end game" home and bathroom-less, bedroom-less cottage improvements.

VR3

Termites like cardboard, as far as crawl space storage goes

Tony M

F1nut wrote: »

verb wrote: »

Exactly! And this is the clubhouse too.

And you're the only one posting your ego driven home improvement projects.

I hope you're being sarcastic.

A handful of us posts home improvements in the Clubhouse section.

There's no ego puffing here from any of us.
Just very good men showing their home improvements to our "end game" homes.

I've posted tons of pictures on my own "end game" home and bathroom-less, bedroom-less cottage improvements.

For example;

My yard was PERFECT 36 years ago when I bought this place.
I put down weed and feed and killed most of it 30 years ago. 15 years after that, I had a great lawn going again but took a vacation and had a neighbor cut it for me. He SCALPED it to the dirt. Most of it died due to heat and SHOCK. 15 years later, I have it looking healthy once again. A lot of work and money too. But it's therapeutic too. It's another HOBBY of sorts.

UPDATE:
I was about to put some weed and feed down a few days ago and read the instructions beforehand. I'm glad I did!!!
I had bought the wrong kind!
It would've burnt my almost beautiful lawn AGAIN. The SMALL print said to NOT use on my St. Augustine and Centipede grass or damage would occur. How I missed that a couple of months ago is puzzling for sure. Maybe I thought it read safe to use on...

I don't have an ego, nor do I think any of us who have worked to improve our environments and properties have the thoughts toward our fellow neighbors or people to think "hey, look at me and how much nicer my home and things are compared to what you have".

I've even had neighbors compliment me on our yard and they know the work I/we have put into it to get it back to looking like a lawn you can roll around on/in like kids used to do decades ago. I've given the best advice one can give about growing a pretty lawn. Get rid of GRUBS. Or any bugs that eat grass roots, and FEED the lawn. Weed control is also a constant hobby.

No ego here but here is my front lawn this year. I've dethached to start, fertilized a few times,(one being 2 days ago). Used Round-up weed killer (FOR SOUTHERN LAWNS ) to an almost weed-free lawn. And lastly, mowed at a high or proper height.

Most of my neighbors scalp their lawns. Oh well. It's what THEY want and that's ok with me too.

I'm proud of my healthy lawn. But it's what my hard work and perseverance have created FOR me and my wife.
Just like the others who posted pics of their visions and results of their hard work here in the Clubhouse section.

Oh, there's a few crickets and aphids in my yard. They like it too.




There was a dense mat of Bahaia grass in that brown spot that I got rid of. I spriged it with St. Augustine sprigs to bring it back to a Lawn type grass. Bahaia grass is highway grass. It's dense and hard and spreads profusely by V-shaped seed head stalks. Not a good soft lawn grass at all.




This was DIRT for many years. The Centipeed seed I planted has spread into my neibor's yard pretty far now. The yard people they use SCALP their side. At least I water it when I water my side.




Back yard has A LOT of work to be done. Maybe this fall or next spring.






I tilled up a ton of that Bahaia grass in the back yard and got rid of it. I then went to the front yard section and tilled and got rid of that Bahaia grass too. Then it got HOT! I'm going to pull some big weeds in a minute in the back yard bare section where the Bahaia was. I put down weed killer but some weeds seem to be untouched by it. So pulling by hand it is.



End Game home-ownership is a constant maintenance, improvement and expansion if wanted experiences for sure. Some unwanted set-backs like appliance break-downs, roof leaks or plumbing leaks. Water heater leaks too. A/C unit break-downs suck big-time. But it happens to every home, even new ones so...rent or own, it's still a challenge $$$$ wise.

indyhawg

Project looks good @verb!

verb

VR3 wrote: »

Termites like cardboard, as far as crawl space storage goes

Thanks for the heads up! Never had a crawlspace before. I plan to finish the ceiling in there, with insulation. Was thinking concrete board like in the soffits, due to the potential moisture.

verb

Looking good @Tony M ! I always enjoy following your home improvement projects, and in so share in your joy!

VR3

I wouldn't close off the joist in your crawl. Better to put down a thick vapor barrier and make sure it stays dry. Water in the crawl in any capacity is bad news

verb

VR3 wrote: »

I wouldn't close off the joist in your crawl. Better to put down a thick vapor barrier and make sure it stays dry. Water in the crawl in any capacity is bad news

Yeah that's my worry too. I put a sump pump in there, and there will be a grate drain at entrance. Have to put some insulation up there though. Maybe spray foam? My builder and I are in a bit of a disagreement, he initially wanted to close it off conventionally with drywall, I said no way.

VR3

My best advice is to monitor it after rains and see where and if water is getting in. Then correct whatever is letting it in.

Installing sump pumps and stuff doesn't really fix anything, water is still getting in

verb

VR3 wrote: »

My best advice is to monitor it after rains and see where and if water is getting in. Then correct whatever is letting it in.

Installing sump pumps and stuff doesn't really fix anything, water is still getting in

Yep great advice. Thanks! I've been doing a little of that even thought the framing is not sealed, I'll continue to keep an eye on it!

Willow

I don't see the big deal of posting reno pics. We've talked divorce, shaving, black paint, drinking, pie, weddings, recipes....

Congrats on the WIP on the addition.

westmassguy

Happy Wife, Happy Life!

GlennDog

verb wrote: »

VR3 wrote: »

Termites like cardboard, as far as crawl space storage goes

Thanks for the heads up! Never had a crawlspace before. I plan to finish the ceiling in there, with insulation. Was thinking concrete board like in the soffits, due to the potential moisture.

The crawl needs to be conditioned like any other room of the house. Humidity should never go above 50 RH. Consider a water pressurized back-up pump and ensure there’s a device to notify you when it’s activated because it can get very very expensive using this type of back-up. Battery back-up will suffice.

Insulate the perimeter walls with rigid insulated panels and cover the floor with 6 mil vapor barrier with all seams tightly taped and run up the wall.
Access door needs to be weatherstripped, insulated and it should fit snugly

You got this!

Tony M

Really?

I see a great and honest man and wife building their dreams for themselves all the while they're still working 120 hours a week to pay for those dreams and their futures.

Dave's a humble and good man. He's worked hard and still does to live the American Dream.

Kex

Fabulous project @verb! 🤩

Really like what you and your architect have been dreaming up for both the garage and now, this extension. You deserve this! 😁

SIHAB

What is more appropriate to post in the clubhouse
than the building of a clubhouse?